Self-closing hatchway



(No Model.)

T. E. ELLIOTT.

SELF CLOSING HATOHWAY.

Patented Nov. 6, 1883.

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name STATES PATENT -FFI CEQ THOMAS E. ELLIOTT, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA. i

SELF-CLOSING HATCHWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 288,041, dated November 6, 1883. Application filed May 29, 1882. (X model.)

To all whom, it may concern Be it known that 1', Tnonns E. ELLIOTT, of Norfolk, in the count; of Norfolk and State of Virginia, have invented a new and valuable I and exactdescription of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of avertical sectional view of my device. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same, and Fig. 3 is a side view.

This invention has relation to safety-gates for elevators; and it consists in the construction and novel arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully. described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings,the letter A designates the framing of the vertical passage in which the elevator car or platform B moves, in the usual manner.

. 0 represents a floor at which the car is designed to stop, and above the margin m of which an opening is made into the elevatorway, to provide means of access or exit with relation to the car. The object of this inventidn is to keep this opening guarded or closed by means of a gate, D, at all times, except when the car or platform is in position with its floor flush with the floor O of the building.

Vertical guides or ways E are provided in the frame-work on each side of the opening to receive the ends of the gate.

Counter-weights w are connected tothe gate by cords or small chains, as indicated at a, which pass over pulleys I) in the framing. These weights are designed to move-in boxes, and are not sufficiently heavy to balance the gate, the weight of which preponderates, it being intended that the gate shall move downward to the floor 0 when unsupported.

F designates a spring. bolt or catch, which is seated in theelevatorwell frame-work in a stationary position, or'connected to the gate so as to move with it. In the former case the nected to a short lever or dog, 0, having a projectingend,which extends near one of thelateral upright timbers G of the car or moving platform. To this timber, in the path of the end of the dog, are secured an upper and a lower projection, d and e, which are preferably beveled I at their upper and lower ends and rounded to secure easy action. The position .of these cam projections is such that when the end of the dog is between them the floor of the elevator car or platform will be flush with the floor of the building.

H represents the end of the gate, or a vertical guard-strip connected to the gate, and arranged in the path of the spring'stop F, serving to hold the stop back at all times except when the gate is opened.

The construction shown in Fig. 1 and upper end of Fig. 2 is alternative with that shown in Fig. 3, and is not claimed in this applica tion. The right is, however, herein reserved to make a future separate application therefor.

When the spring stop is attached to the gate, the presser-piece is connected to an up right of the car or moving platform, as indicated at K, where the presser-piece is shown in bracket form, and is designed to serve also as a catch to engage the spring-stop when the gate has been'raised sufficiently high. In this case a single beveled or cam projection, w, attached to the frame-work of the elevator-way, 8,0 is employed, the gate-stopbeing provided with a lateral arm, a, to engage the same.

When the elevator car or platform, in either ascending or descending, comes into position opposite the gate-opening, with its floor flush 8 5 with the floor of the building, the gate can be raised until the spring-stop is released and engages the gate or gate-catch, thereby holding it in the raised position. yVhen, however, the elevator car or platform commences to move upward, the spring-catch will be immediately retracted, releasing the gate, which will at once fall and close the opening to the hatchway or elevator passage. \Vhen the springstop is stationary, being attachedto the frame-work of the elevator-way, it will be retracted when the car or platform commences to descend by the projection d, which is uppermost on said car or platform, and whenthe end of which projects forward to engage a movement is upward the lower projection, 6, will act on the dog. to retract the stop.

Should it be preferred to attach the springstop to the gate, it should be provided with a beveled stem, 8, in order that the presser-piece or catch on the car may pass over it easily when the car is descending. In the ascent of the car the catch engages the spring-stop on the gate, and thereby acts automatically to lift the gate to the raised position. As the car descends to a floor, upon lifting the gate the spring-stem enables the stop upon it to click past the projection K. Should the car or platform move upward, the spring-stop will be retracted by the action of its arm in passing over the cam projection on the side of the opening. In its downward movement the car or platform lowers the gate to the floor without retracting its spring-stop.

In order to prevent shock when the gate descends, a cam-brake is employed, which is located at the side of the elevator-way. As usually constructed for this purpose, it consists of a pivoted brake-block, Z, arranged near the floor O in such a position that when its rounded 'end is moved forward it will engage the lower portion of the gate at or near its end and check its movement. The action of the brake is designed to be automatic, and in order to effect this a lever, Z, is provided, one

shoulder or catch, 12, on the gate, and the other end of which is connected to one end of the pivoted brake-block by a rod or connection, 5 a. When the gate descends, it engages the lever Z, which turns the brake-block and forces its operating end against the gate. The brake is held out-of the path of the gate when the latter is raised by means of a spring or weight, 0 p, as indicated in the drawings.

Having described this invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. In an elevator, the car provided with the 4 5 presser-piece K, in combination with the gate D, provided with the spring-stop having the arm 00, and the upright E, having the projection as, substantially as specified.

2. In an elevator, the pivoted block I, ar- 50 ranged near the floor 0, rod n, pivoted lever Z, and weight 9, in combination with the gate D, having a shoulder, 12, substantially as specified. I

In testimony that I claim the above I have 55 hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS nnwi). ELLIOTT.

Witnesses:

WVALTER HERRON TAYLOR, WM. F. Lnrrz. 

